TRAILS

There are more than 250 km of hiking trails in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve extending from the highest mountain peaks to the lowest river beds designed to satisfy a wide range of visitors. There are easy trails within cedar forests or medium trails connecting different cedar forests or long trails that link the villages surrounding the Reserve. A visitor can hike alone or in small groups, with a guide, along designated trails.

The trail begins at the Church of Our Lady in Moukhtara, passes through the Mamluk bridge of Birket el Aarouss, descends and crosses the Barouk river.

The trail begins at the Church of Our Lady in Moukhtara, passes through the Mamluk bridge of Birket el Aarouss, descends and crosses the Barouk river over the Baddeh Bridge to the western slope of the river valley. The trail continues south on a footpath recently renovated along the Barouk river on the left of which is the Baddeh water mill. It then proceeds to the Bou Matar bridge and watermill and up the eastern slopes below the village of Ain Qani. The trail then passes over an aqueduct belonging to an old water mill before arriving to the bridge of Sheikh Houssein. Below the village of Amatour the trail points south towards the village of Haret Jandal and crosses the Salman river before reaching the bottom of the Barouk valley. It then runs along the Barouk river, crosses over a small stone bridge at the Ain el Zaïtoun stream, and ends in Marj Bisri, as well as the trail can start in Barouk or Maasser el Shouf.

The Ammiq wetland that is owned and managed by Skaff Estate, covers 100 hectares of land and is the last significant wetland in Lebanon – the remnant of extensive marshes and lakes that once covered parts of the Beqaa Valley. This natural spot remains an important staging and wintering area for migratory water birds between Europe and Africa.

The Niha Fort is carved in the rock of a cliff overlooking the Bisri and the ‘Aray valley. From its strategic location it monitors the road between Sidon and the Beqaa. This fortress is a cave that is over 100 meters deep. In past centuries chambers and rooms were dug to shelter soldiers and it has abundant water from a rain water collection system. It also had a considerable number of silos for storing provisions. When you visit the Niha Fort you can walk the short scenic trail from the Information Center at the entrance of the fort where Emir Fakhreddine took refuge with his family in the early 17th Century.

The Ain Zhalta/Bmohray forest covers 240 hectares of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve and exhibits an amazing level of natural regeneration. This trail is well known for bird watching and includes a hill lake. Between Ain Zhalta and Barouk you can enjoy a 6 hour hike amongst cedar trees and a fascinating panoramic view from the top of the mountain

Maasser Cedars Trails

The Maasser cedar forest is the oldest forest in the Shouf Nature Reserve covering 16 hectares and hosts the Lamartine tree where the French poet enjoyed meditating. After a two hour hike amidst the beauty of the forest you can drive to an overlook above the Maasser entrance for a spectacular view of the west Bekaa, Mount Hermon, and the Karoun Lake. The Maasser entrance is wheelchair accessible and opens onto a viewing area in the forest.

The Barouk Cedar Trails

The Barouk Cedar forest is the largest forest in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve covering 400 hectares. The trail boasts a number of fascinating features such as an observation point and a hill lake. You can hike on this trail for 3 to 4 hours and visit reforestation sites. The Barouk Cedar Forest features a special needs trail with a ramp and guide bars for the elderly, wheelchair users, and the visually impaired. The length of the special needs trail is 300 meters with a maximum slope of 25 percent.

This section of the LMT crosses the main Beirut-Damascus highway before passing the Mghiti plain and parallels the high peaks of the Lebanon mountain range above the relatively large towns of Ain Dara and Ain Zhalta. The hiker will see cedar trees near Falougha and Bmohray ( )بمهريه . The main highlights of this section are the scenic views of the Lamartine valley, the village square in Bmohray and the water spring and pine forest at Nabeh Safa ( )نبع الصفا There is plenty of snow in the winter but for the most part, the area remains accessible. This entire section is suitable for biking.

This section of the LMT gives you an excellent opportunity to see the extensive cedar forests that form part of the network of protected areas throughout Lebanon. The trail climbs quite steeply through the cedar forests and then follows a ridge line for a long distance, affording views of both the Beqa valley ( )سهل البقاع to the east and the Mediterranean to the west. The main highlights are the cedar forests, the panoramic views all the way to Mount Hermon ( ) جبل حرمون and some very good bird watching. This entire section is bike friendly.
Villages along this section Ain Zhalta – El Barouk

This section of the LMT begins in the village of Barouk/Fraidis and passes through parts of the Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve at both Barouk and Maasser el Shouf. Walking is mostly on footpaths in the reserve. The main highlights are cedar forests, scenic overlooks, and panoramic views.
Villages along this section Barouk – Maasser el Shouf

This section of the LMT passes through the highest cultivated areas of the Shouf at the foot of the Shouf mountain peaks where springs abound. The LMT offers two loops that increase the hiker’s opportunities to explore the high country of the Shouf. In this section, an 8-km segment from Niha Square to Nabi Ayoub Shrine and Niha Fort is bike friendly.

Trail length: 11.8 km Total uphill / downhill: 48 m/540 m Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate
This section of the LMT begins in the village of Niha. It climbs steeply to the Nabi Ayoub shrine ( ) مقام النبي ايوب and the Niha fort before heading south to Jezzine. The panoramic views over the valley to the west are superb, and there are many springs on the way. In this section, an 8-km segment from Niha Square to Nabi Ayoub shrine and Niha fort is bike friendly.

This section of the LMT starts in Jezzine and follows a long foot path through a valley and then over the main range of mountains into the Bekaa valley ( )سهل البقاع. There are occasional forests along the way, as well as panoramic views toward Niha, Mount Hermon (جبل حرمون), and Lake Qaraoun (بحيرة القرعون). The trail also passes interesting geological formations, and an oak forest with some very old trees.

Getting there To reach Jezzine ( )جزين , take the coastal highway southbound from Beirut to Saida ( )صيدا . In Saida, use the by-pass road to avoid the congested downtown area, and follow the signpost(s) for a left turn to Jezzine after the third traffic circle. The road passes through the villages of Abra ( )عبرا , Kfar Falous ( )كفرفالوس and Rom ( )روم as you climb to Jezzine. To reach Aitanit ( )عيتنيت , take the Damascus highway into the Beqa valley
( )سهل البقاع . At Chtaura ( )شتورة , turn right to Aitanit, passing Kefraya ( )كفريا , and Saghbine ( )صغبين . All roads are paved and public transportation is available to both places. Estimated distances: Beirut to Jezzine: 71 km; Beirut to Aitanit: 79 km.